Glassware forming machine



-| D. SOUBIER ET AL Filed May 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEY March 24, 1936. L, D, SOIIJBIER ET AL 2,034,887

GLAS SWARE FORMING MACHINE Filed May 16 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r; V NTORS j W J WW WA TTORNEY Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFER GLAS SWARE FORMING MACHINE Application May 16, 1934, Serial No. 725,956

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in glassware forming machines and more particularly to the finishing mold units in which blanks or parisons of glass are expanded to their final form.

In one type of bottle forming machine mold charges of molten glass are gathered by suction and transformed into blanks or parisons which are suspended bare from neck molds preparatory to being enclosed in finishing molds, the latter together with the blank forming units being mounted upon a rotary mold carriage. Each finishing mold unit is mounted for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal pivot and the mold sections are opened and closed in alternation through the medium of a series of links, levers, and slides operated by a stationary cam relative to which the mold carriage is moved horizontally. During a certain portion of each cycle of operations and incidentally while the expanded blanks or parisons are enclosed in the finishing mold in a comparatively plastic state, the finishing mold unit swings downwardly toan almost vertical position in order to clear the container from which the mold charges of glass are obtained. At the time these finishing molds move past the glass container they tend to open slightly with the result that objectionable seams are formed on the finished articles at the meeting lines of the mold sections.

In attempting to overcome these objections, a construction such as shown in McLaughlin Patent No. 1,856,577, May 3, 1932, has been devised with a view toward eliminating the crack or slight opening of the finishing molds While moving past the molten glass container. However, this construction does not entirely overcome the defects set out above and where plural cavity molds are used, the seams on bottles formed in the outer cavity are rather pronounced and, of course, quite objectionable.

An object of the present invention is to entirely overcome the defects enumerated above by providing a construction and mechanism which will positively insure against premature opening of the finishing mold sections to any degree whatsoever, irrespective of the particular position of the mold and despite the presence of any lost motion in the mechanism which is primarily designed to open and close the mold.

Another object is the provision of novel means for exhausting the air from the mold cavities to thereby expand the blanks or parisons in the finishing mold and securing the mold sections against premature separation.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevational view of one head of an Owens type machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the finishing mold taken substantially along the plane of line II-II of Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the finishing mold bottom plate.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View of the finishing mold unit.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevational View of the finishing mold unit in its lowermost position.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the plane of line VIVI of Fig. 4.

The machine in which the present invention is embodied may well be of the well known Owens type as shown for example, in La France Patent 1,185,687, June 6, 1916, and includes a stationary central column I 0 upon which a mold carriage l l is mounted for rotation. Mold groups l2 are mounted upon this mold carriage II and include various mechanisms actuated by stationary cams carried by said column Ill which may be of conventional form. A blank mold unit is including a partible neck mold l4 and body blank mold i5 is mounted upon said carriage so that it may move veritcally thereon at times into and out of contact with a supply body of molten glass H6 in a container ll. As is customary, vacuum is applied to the blank mold unit by Way of pipes l8, a chamber L) on the mold carriage, and a chamber 20 and main pipe 2| within the central column ill.

The finishing mold unit 22 includes a mold 23, said mold comprising horizontally separable sections having their meeting faces 24 in a vertical plane. As illustrated herein the mold is provided with two cavities 25 although it is obvious that a greater or less number of cavities may be used. The mold sections are connected by pivot pins 26 to operating arms 2! or levers which are connected to swing about a common pivot pin 28, said pin being mounted in a mold carrying frame 29 or mold carrier on which the mold 23 and its operating mechanism are supported. Reference may be had to the La France patent above identified for details relative to the specific construction of the finishing mold operating mechanism. The frame 29 is mounted for up and down swinging movement about the axis of the pin 30 under control of a stationary cam track 3| on which runs a roll 32. A cam roll 33 running in a. stationary cam track 34 operates through the link connections 35 to swing said arms 2'! about their pivot for opening and closing the finishing mold.

The lower end of the finishing mold sections rest upon and during their opening and closing movements slide over the upper face of a plate 36. In a holder 31 constituting a part of or at least carried by this plate 36, is mounted a bottom plate 38.

In Fig. 6 we have shown in some detail the means for connecting each arm 21 to the corresponding mold section in a fashion to permit a degree of floating movement of the latter whereby the two sections when brought together will be in proper alignment. A connecting bolt 39 extends horizontally through the arm 21 and is formed with a head 40 which enters a recess 41 between vertically spaced webs 42 on the exterior of the mold, said head being provided with a vertical opening through which the pivot pin 26 extends. The slot 43 in the arm 21 is of greater width than the diameter of the bolt 39 to permit lateral adjustment of the bolt and corresponding mold sections in a horizontal direction parallel with the faces 24 of said section. A nut 44 on the outer end of the bolt 39 looks the parts in their adjusted position.

While the mold sections are capable of limited horizontal swinging movement about the axis of the pivot pins 26 such movement is definitely controlled during the latter part of the closing movement of the mold by stop lugs 45 on the mold sections cooperating with mold centering lugs 45, the latter being attached to the upper face or the plate 36.

Application of vacuum or suction to the finishing mold for the two-fold purpose of expanding blanks or parisons in the cavities 25 and securing the sections against premature separation irrespective of any wear or lost motion in the opening and closing mechanism, may involve the following construction. The bottom plate is formed with annular channels 4'! encircling the bottom forming areas 48 of said plate. Each mold section is provided with vacuum grooves 49 extending in the direction of the length of the section and arranged so that one groove is disposed between the cavities 25 and parallel with the axes thereof and the others in proximity to the outer margins of said cavities. All of these vacuum grooves 49 open through the lower end of the mold and communicate with said annular grooves or channels 41, the upper ends being closed. The vacuum grooves 49 (Figs. 4 and 6) between said cavities communicate through radial passageways 50 in the mold body and a chamber 5| with an axial opening 52 in the hinge or pivot pin 26, the upper end of said opening communicating with a flexible hose section 53. This pivot pin 26 has its IOWer end frictionally held in the chamber 5| to facilitate removal from the corresponding mold section and incidentally facilitate the usual mold charging operations. The flexible hose sections 53 are connected to a valve 54 which is mounted on the mold carriage and is in turn connected to the vacuum chamber l9 by means of a pipe 55. This valve 54 which may be of conventional form including a spring (not shown) for normally and yieldingly holding it closed includes a stem 56 positioned for engagement with an adjustable section 51 of a cam 58, said cam designed to open the valve at any predetermined and variable point and hold it open the necessary period of time. This adjustable section 5'! is held at any desired point by means of a bolt 5'! and nut 57 the former carried by the cam and extending through a slot 51 in the cam 58.

In operation, blanks or pariscns produced in the blank mold unit i3 are suspended bare from the neck mold l4. As the mold carriage rotates the open finishing mold 23 is gradually lifted by the cam track 3| until it reaches an elevation to which said mold may be closed about the bare blanks and in position to cooperate with the neck mold. At this time the cam 34 operates through the connections 35 to close the mold.

Expansion of the blanks or parisons to their final shape in the finishing molds may be obtained by exhausting the air from the mold cavities shortly after the finishing mold has been closed about them. This involves opening of the valve 54 which is under control of the cam 58. After the expanding operation has been completed. and the finishing mold unit starts its downward swinging movement to clear the molten glass container I I, the vacuum control valve 54 is again opened, as a result of the stem again engaging a portion of the cam 58 this second opening being for the purpose of applying vacuum to the vacuum grooves 49 whereby the mold sections will be secured against separation such as might and frequently does occur because of lost motion in the mechanical devices designed to open and close the mold. The duration of this second application of vacuum to the mold is regulable as a result of the embodiment of an adjustable section 51 in the vacuum cam 58.

In view of the foregoing it is apparent that we have provided a finishing mold unit in which the mold sections While mounted for floating movement may be securely held against any relative movement at such times as it would be objectionable.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. The combination of a mold comprising horizontally separable sections, a pair of mold operating arms pivoted to swing horizontally, connecting bolts extending horizontally through said arms, vertical pivot pins providing a pivotal connection between said bolts and the mold sections and permitting pivotal movement of the mold sections about the axes of said pins, and means including passageways through the pivot pins and walls of the mold sections for exhausting the air from the mold and thereby holding said sections against premature separation.

2. In combination, a rotary mold carriage, a bottle forming unit thereon including a blank mold unit, a finishing mold unit to which blanks are transferred from the blank mold unit, said finishing mold unit consisting of a carrier mounted for downward movement from a horizontal position, a partible finishing mold on said carrier, means for opening and closing the finishing mold including a pair of arms pivoted to a common hinge pin, a slide block, links connecting the slide block and said arms, means including a stationary cam for actuating the slide block and thereby imparting opening and closing movements to the arms and mold sections, means including pivot pins connecting said arms and finishing mold sections, a source of vacuum supply, a cam controlled normally closed valve, means connecting the valve and interior of the mold including a conduit extending axially through the pivot pins and a conduit in the body of the mold,

and a cam for opening said valve and thereby causing app1icati0n of vacuum to expand the blanks and thereafter allowing the valve to close and later opening said valve a second time causing vacuum to secure the mold against premature opening during the time it is moving to and from its substantially pendent position.

3. In combination, a rotary mold carriage, a bottle forming unit thereon including a blank mold unit, a finishing mold unit to which blanks are transferred from the blank mold unit, said finishing mold unit consisting of a carrier mounted for downward movement from a horizontal position, a partible finishing mold on said carrier, means for opening and closing the finishing mold including a pair of arms pivoted to a common hinge pin, a slide block, links connecting the slide block and said arms, means including a stationary cam for actuating the slide block and thereby imparting opening and closing movements to the arms and mold sections, pivot pins connecting said arms and finishing mold sections, a source of vacuum supply, a normally automatically closed vacuum valve, means connecting the valve and interior of the mold including a conduit through each pivot pin and mold section, a cam for opening said valve and. thereby causing application of vacuum to expand the blanks and later opening said valve a second time to secure the mold against premature opening during the time it is moving to and from its substantially pendent position, and means for effecting a change in the position of a portion of the valve operating cam to correspondingly change the point of the second application of vacuum to the mold.

4. In a glassware forming machine, a bottle forming unit consisting of partible body blank and neck molds in which a blank is formed, a finishing mold unit including a mold carrier mounted for vertical swinging movement between a horizontal position where it cooperates with the neck mold and a substantially pendent position, a finishing mold on said carrier comprising two cooperating sections, a pair of mold arms pivoted to a single hinge pin, means including vertical pivot pins connecting the arms and mold sections, cam controlled mechanism for swinging said arms about the hinge pin to thereby a1ternately open and close the mold, and means including a vacuum passageway through each pivot pin and corresponding mold section for effecting two successive applications of vacuum to the mold to thereby expand the blank therein and later securing the mold sections against separation while moving to and from said substantially pendent position.

5. In a glassware forming machine, a bottle forming unit consisting of partible body blank and neck molds in which a. blank is formed, a finishing mold unit including a mold carrier mounted for vertical swinging movement between a horizontal position where it cooperates with the neck mold and a substantially pendent position, a finishing mold on said carrier comprising two sections, a pair of mold arms pivoted to a single hinge pin, means including vertical pivot pins connecting the arms and mold sections, cam controlled mechanism for swinging said arms about the hinge pin to thereby alternately open and close the mold, a source of vacuum supply, a control valve individual to the finishing mold unit, said pivot pins and finishing mold sections having conduits therein leading from the interior of the mold to the upper end of the pivot pins, flexible pipes connecting the conduits in the pivot hinge pins to said valve, and a cam shaped to open the valve and effect application of vacuum to the finishing mold shortly after it is closed about a blank and during movement toward and from said substantially pendent position.

6. In a glassware forming machine, a bottle forming unit consisting of partible body blank and neck molds in which a blank is formed, a finishing mold unit including a mold carrier mounted for vertical swinging movement between a horizontal position where it cooperates with the neck mold and a substantially pendent position, a finishing mold on said carrier comprising two sections, a pair of mold arms pivoted to a common hinge pin, means including vertical pivot pins connecting the arms and mold sections, cam controlled mechanism for swinging said arms about the hinge pin to thereby alternately open and close the mold, a source of vacuum supply, a control valve individual to the finishing mold unit, said pivot pins and finishing mold sections having conduits therein leading from the interior of the mold to the upper end of the pivot pins, fiexible pipes connecting the conduits in the pivot pins to said valve, a cam shaped to open the valve and effect application of vacuum to the finishing mold shortly after it is closed about a blank and during movement of the mold toward and from said substantially pendent position, and means for changing the position of at least a part of said camfor correspondingly changing the point of application of vacuum to said mold.

'7. In combination, a finishing mold unit including a carrier mounted for movement downwardly from a horizontal position, a cam track for controlling such movement of the carrier, a finishing mold on said carrier consisting of a pair of sections having a plurality of cavities therein and vacuum grooves in the meeting faces thereof in proximity to the longitudinal margins of the cavities, a bottom plate having circular upwardly facing channels communicating with said vacuum grooves, vacuum passageways extending radially from the grooves between the cavities in said mold sections, mechanism for closing and opening the mold including a pair of arms pivoted to a common hinge pin, means for swinging said arms about the hinge pin, means including vertical pivot pins providing a loose pivotal connection between the arms and mold sections, means for applying vacuum to said vacuum grooves and thence to the cavities including an axial opening in each pivot pin connected to the radial passageway in the corresponding mold section, a vacuum control valve, pipes connecting said valve and passageways in the pivot pins, a source of vacuum supply connected to the valve, and a cam for operating said valve.

8. In combination, a finishing mold unit including a carrier mounted for movement downwardly from a horizontal position, a cam track for controlling such movement of the carrier, a finishing mold on said carrier, consisting of a pair of sections having a plurality of cavities therein and vacuum grooves in the meeting faces thereof in proximity to the longitudinal margins of the cavities, a bottom plate having circular upwardly facing channels communicating with said vacuum grooves, vacuum passageways extending radially in said mold sections from the grooves between the cavities, mechanism for closing and opening the mold including a pair of arms pivoted to a common hinge pin, means for swinging said arms about the hinge pin, means including vertical pivot pins providing a loose pivotal connection between the arms and mold sections, means for applying vacuum to said vacuum grooves and thence to the cavities including an axial opening in each pivot pin connected to the radial passageway in the corresponding mold section, a valve, pipes connecting said valve and axial openings in the pivot pins, a source of supply of vacuum connected to said valve, and a cam for effecting opening of the valve while the carrier is in a horizontal position and thereafter allowing the valve to close and later opening said valve a second time during movement of the carrier and finishing mold relative to said horizontal position.

LEONARD D. SOUBIER.

JOHN RALPH HOGE. 

